Girl Scouts & the Art of Caring
Girl Scouts of Cranford
In late 2021, Julie Carroll, Director of Cranford Family Care, reached out to Girl Scouts of Cranford for volunteers to create and paint murals to replace those that had been lost to the September flood. When the members of Ambassador Troop 40071 heard of this opportunity, they agreed that service to this beloved Cranford institution would be a perfect note on which to conclude their scouting experience before graduating. Even more serendipitous, was that one member of Troop 40071 in particular, Bridget Kachoogian, is a very talented artist and this project was a perfect fit for her talents.
Bridget met with Julie at CFC and then created and submitted 6 mural ideas. Then two teams were assembled to trace and paint the two selected murals. The Ambassador Troop of Cranford High School Seniors—Bridget Kachoogian, Julia Ramsay, Amelia Hunt, Emily Cavanna, Sofia Bongiovanni, Jordan Padovano and Gabriella Pecoraro—created the two murals that brighten the workspace and celebrate the amazing work of Cranford Family Care. Every aspect of the murals pays homage to the mission of Cranford Family Care.
Julie Carroll explained, “About eight years ago, a Cranford Girl Scout troop painted two murals for Cranford Family Care. The front office mural became our traditional backdrop for photographs with volunteers. Unfortunately, our building was hit hard with flood damage from Hurricane Ida and all the walls had to be repaired and repainted. Once we were back up and running, I kept looking at the freshly painted walls. Something was missing. I reached out to the leadership of Girl Scouts of Cranford and was quickly introduced to Bridget. Thanks to Bridget and her fellow troop members, we now have two new and inspiring murals. CFC truly appreciates the community spirit of Girl Scouts of Cranford as well as this Troop’s time, energy, and creativity!”
Bridget Kachoogian said, “It was a great honor for me to be able to work with CFC on the murals and also it was an incredibly fun way for the Troop to work together and help out the Cranford community.” Each one of the Ambassadors was truly moved by the experience and honored to play a role beautifying the space that is a lifeline to the community.
Ambassador Troop 40071 was able to leave an indelible mark on a very special organization in our town. As they are nearing graduation and looking to the future, they know they have contributed special art for a remarkable organization that has served the Cranford community since 1936.
The Girl Scouts of Cranford boasts over 1,139 Girl Scout Members in 71 troops and Juliettes (individually registered members) making it one of the largest non-profit organizations in town. The Cranford Service Unit is a part of the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey (GSHNJ) Council which is part of the Girl Scouts of the USA. If your family is interested in learning more about local Girl Scouts or to find out more information on the Girls Scouts of Cranford, please visit cranfordgirlscouts.com.
Photos by Girl Scouts of Cranford
